Warn XD9000 Lies Dead in My ARB.

[Heartless]

Hey guys i need some advice before i shell out big bucks at the Warn Service center.
I bought a used XD9000 off a guy a few weeks back; got a good deal and got the seller to demo it before i paid. I was satisfied and the winch seemed fine, the winch is older im guessing but looks clean. The serial number is: 193850 and the date code is: LB0.

So i pulled off my ARB bumper, Bought Welding cable aka 2AWG, brass connectors, resin core solder, a refill of propane for the tiger torch a couple meters of heatshrink and headed to work. All of which was advice of a recognized battery shop.

First i worked on my ground wire and 12v+ (Red wire), as these were the only 2 wires i needed to lenghthen. Made certain i made good solder points and heat shrunk all terminations to a high standard.

Next i clocked the winch so that the engagement lever would work under my bumper; again i was carefull not to mess around with the clutch pack or get things too messed up in there.

then i took some pictures of both the winch and the Solenoid/ Controller pack so that when i rewired it i could duplicate it accurately. I also drew a quick wiring diagram for easy use at the bench. I removed the Solenoid/Controller pack and taped up my wires for ease of installation.

Now came time to put the winch up into the bumper, so with some effort managed to convince the winch into its new home in my ARB. I ran the longer wires to the battery on the side GMC mounts on a yellow top Optima. I ty-rap'd the cables neatly and was ready to install the Solenoid/ Controller pack.

I referenced my wiring diagram; with the F-1, A and the sort and ran each wire according to the pictures i took on my camera phone. Each coincided with the other for redundancy so i felt the install was going to be a breeze. Murphy did not agree with this and somehow reared his ugliness.

Without putting the final 3 screws in place i thought i should try the winch "just in case".

There was nothing.

I turned on my Jeep.

Again nothing.

So with the help of the neighbors and some friends we began going through the check list... Did you do this? Yes... Did you try this? yes...

I began by testing the continuity of my wires which was fine.Next i tested voltage at the solenoid array which yielded 12V at the bottom left corner (red wire to 12V+) and top right corner as viewing Solenoid/ Controller pack with cover off. Obviosly i had no voltage on the other sides of the solenoids. (This would have voltage when winch in operation)

One point which raises an eyebrow is that the pins on the remote seem a little loose and the female connectors on the Solenoid/ controler pack cover seem loose/ corroded

May i also say that the Solenoid/ Controller pack seems a lot different than most i have seen.

Any suggestions, concerns or feedback would be greatly apreciated.

[jeeepguy]

JUst trip the solenoid manually to see of the motor turns. Also, check to make sure the motor itself has 12v at the connectors (internally).

[mylt1]

thought the side post on optima batteries were only for acc's and not for large drain items like winches? i know i have read something like that before but dont remember where.

scratch that, i think its the blue top im thinking about.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by mylt1

thought the side post on optima batteries were only for acc's and not for large drain items like winches? i know i have read something like that before but dont remember where.

That is true, the Optima's side posts won't stand up to the amount a winch can draw on a heavy pull. Optima specifically warns against connecting a winch to their side posts. When I was still running an Optima battery, I was only able to connect my winch to the side posts by making a pair of 2 gauge jumpers in parallel with the internal connections by connecting the side posts to the top posts externally as in the photo below. The photo shows how I did it with my previous Blue Top Optima with its smaller aux posts on top but I used the same jumpers on both of my previous Yellow Tops. The jumpers are connected top + to side +, Top - to side -.

Heartless, I don't know exactly how old your Warn is but they added a safety circuit years ago that relies on a secondary ground connection. If it's there, it comes out of the passenger-side of the winch and it's a small gauge wire. That has to be grounded for it to work.

[Heartless]

Ok...
I will try that. Admittedly this makes no sense but i will try it. I wonder why the secondary battery posts would be any different than the main ones?

My winch definately dosent have the small ground, which my old winch had. I have looked for replacement parts but i guess mine is too old??

Thanks guys... just sucks being so stumped. I would post pics but i guess i need 50 posts or something. i have the posts on edmonton jeep community, with the same title.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Heartless

I wonder why the secondary battery posts would be any different than the main ones?

The secondary posts on the side (and wingnuts on the Blue Top's top) of Optima's batteries are connected to the main top posts with undersized internal connections. The aux connectors are fine for vehicle starting which is typically no more than 75-80 amps but not for the >400 amps that a winch can draw with a heavy load.

[Heartless]

I spoke to a battery shop, they said "the current and voltage is exactly the same on the side mount. However since the posts can get hot they can melt a bit, which is not good".

I have moved the mounts to the top battery posts anyway.

Another guy mentioned my grounding on the Controller housing might be suspect. I grounded the caseusing jumper cables as directed still nothing out of that winch....

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Heartless

I spoke to a battery shop, they said "the current and voltage is exactly the same on the side mount...

This is a subject I have some fairly deep knowledge of and they are wrong on their claim where an Optima battery is concerned.

Check out Optima's FAQ page at Optima Product Support : FAQs where Optima says:

"■ Connect high amperage accessories such as a winch to the top terminals only. Do NOT use the side terminals."

The reason being, again, is that the Optima side terminals cannot handle the current that a loaded winch can draw.

Can we please close this part of the discussion now?

[Heartless]

No thats fine, case closed on mounting connectors. They are now mounted on the main posts.

One last question for you. Why bother mounting yours to the auxilary pin and the main?

I think my next step is to replace smaller things that are cheap such as remote and plug.

I would show everyone the pictures but noobs dont get pics.

[TSEJEEPERS]

Originally Posted by Heartless

No thats fine, case closed on mounting connectors. They are now mounted on the main posts.

One last question for you. Why bother mounting yours to the auxilary pin and the main?

I think my next step is to replace smaller things that are cheap such as remote and plug.

I would show everyone the pictures but noobs dont get pics.

Go ahead and post the pictures. It will show us a link that one of us will make click free. You have to host them to a site like Photo shop first.

[Heartless]

here are the links for my question that may help.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally Posted by Heartless

One last question for you. Why bother mounting yours to the auxilary pin and the main?

Connecting the winch to the aux posts was easier because of the OE main post connector design, given the shape of the winch connectors. The extra pair of jumper cables going to the top posts I added provides an additional electrical current path from the main posts to the winch so the weaker aux posts don't have to provide the entire amperage load drawn by the winch.

Like doubling a rope to make it stronger.

[Heartless]

I have found the wiring schematic! Warn sent it to me but unfortunately it is in pdf. If anyone can recommend a loader i can post it. The P#*%*bucket place cannot do the pdf. Its a very useful and clear schematic; has engineering style and plain picture complete with labels etc. I still need to double check my work against the picture but my next step will be replacing remote and plug. Anyone know cheap place to buy these items? anyone use the remote with the light/ thermoelectric sensor?

[Unbalanced]

Before you go buying parts blindly, have you tried manually jumping the solenoids?

You have to verify what the problem is. Sounds like you are just guessing that it needs a new remote.

Follow your schematic, verify proper power to/from the solenoids and to the winch motor. Then see if'n she winds...

Only then should you worry about the remote.

[tellicojeeper]

my xd9000i remote took a crap on me. couldnt figure it out, could jump the sol. it would work, jerked around on the wires and it started working